Very Sad: Mom Kills Her Own Son In Self-Defense - Fort Smith, AR

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A Franklin County man was killed by his mother Sunday, likely in self-defense, after he reportedly pistol-whipped her and his stepfather, authorities said.
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Very Sad: Mom Kills Her Own Son In Self-Defense - Fort Smith, AR

A Franklin County man was killed by his mother Sunday, likely in self-defense, after he reportedly pistol-whipped her and his stepfather, authorities said.

Cameron Utsler, 22, was shot to death at the Prairie Street residence he shared with his mother and stepfather, north of Charleston, according to Lt. Steve Coppinger of the Arkansas State Police.

“Right now it looks like a justified shooting,” David Gibbons, Franklin County’s district attorney, said on Monday.

Troopers were dispatched to the residence at around 1:20 a.m. Sunday. Utsler was found dead at the scene, Coppinger said.

Utsler’s mother and stepfather, whose names were not revealed by either Coppinger or Gibbons, told investigators that Utsler became violent toward them after they had returned home from a Christmas party, according to Coppinger.

“He was upset that he was excluded from a family Christmas get-together,” Coppinger said.

Utsler reportedly brandished a handgun and at one point struck both his mother and stepfather on the head with the pistol, according to Coppinger. How many times Utsler struck them with the gun was not revealed.

“I don’t believe he discharged the weapon, he just physically beat them,” Coppinger said. “One of the parents, out of a defensive posture, had to get a firearm and shoot him.”

Coppinger described both the mother and stepfather as “very small in stature” and “slenderly built.” Utsler, however, was described as more than 6 feet tall and weighing more than 300 pounds.

“He’s a big guy with a violent history,” Coppinger said.

The mother and stepfather told investigators that Utsler had physically abused them in the past.

Because the shooting is believed to be self-defense, an arrest was not made.

“For this to occur right at the Christmas holiday must be very traumatic for the mother,” Coppinger said.

Both the mother and stepfather were treated and released from a local hospital, according to Coppinger.

It is not known if Utsler had a history of mental instability, Coppinger said.

Gibbons said that until the State Police investigation is complete, he cannot officially clear the shooting as an act of self-defense.

Utsler’s body was transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock, where an autopsy will be conducted.

How sad is this story, especially at this time of year? Not that the thug didn't have it coming, but for a mother to have to take her own son's life is almost unbelievable. Sadly though in today's day and age, stories like this are becoming more and more commonplace.

Unfortunately this will probably be used by the Brady Bunch to show that one is more likely to die from a gunshot inflicted by a family member.

22yr old man, gross disparity of force, history of violence known to the victims, multiple current instances of assault and battery with a lethal weapon, multiple threats to life. Seems to me that being related is fairly irrelevant to the facts. He was a felon, had prior felonious actions, was currently engaged in a felony ... and he was treated accordingly. The only sad part is that the parents will need to deal with the memory of having to put down this rabid dog for the remainder of their natural lives.

...Utsler’s mother and stepfather, whose names were not revealed by either Coppinger or Gibbons, told investigators that Utsler became violent toward them after they had returned home from a Christmas party, according to Coppinger.

“He was upset that he was excluded from a family Christmas get-together,” Coppinger said.

Utsler reportedly brandished a handgun and at one point struck both his mother and stepfather on the head with the pistol, according to Coppinger. How many times Utsler struck them with the gun was not revealed.

“I don’t believe he discharged the weapon, he just physically beat them,” Coppinger said. “One of the parents, out of a defensive posture, had to get a firearm and shoot him.”

...The mother and stepfather told investigators that Utsler had physically abused them in the past.

...It is not known if Utsler had a history of mental instability, Coppinger said.

Umm, stupid statement much?
Mentally stable people don't beat their mother at all muchless with firearms. And are so unsavory to be not invited to family holiday partys.
Clearly as per his actions unreported in the past and to which resulted in the current, that guy was all kinds of mentally unstable.
People with mental stability do not do such things nor act this way.
Duh.

Very sad for his mother and her family.
This reminds me of that thread from the summer asking the hypothetical of would you shoot your child if it was him/her being the potential death of you.

We were just talking about Fort Smith the other day,
and here we have another one for Fort Smith...RamRod's turf...

Almost unbelievable actually. Franklin county is in the neighborhood and so reported by one of the larger metro areas that is Fort Smith. Realistically, Ft Smith is in Sebastian county, and I reside in Crawford county. Franklin county is adjacent to both, but relating it to Ft Smith directly is somewhat of an oversight. Charleston is some 24 miles out of Ft Smith on Hwy 22.

Originally Posted by randomorbit

Well I don't know if I would call it Fort Smith. It's actually about 30 miles from there and in a different county.